Post by Aj_June on May 16, 2019 23:30:34 GMT

I think it is a good time to ask as many exciting & knowledgeable members are posting right now. Are there any books that you would classify as somewhat similar to ASOIF? I believe there are not many shows like this one but in case I am missing something then please let me know.

Post by xystophoros on May 18, 2019 4:32:03 GMT

Definitely The Last Kingdom for a GoT-like show. It doesn’t aspire to GoT’s scope, which is actually refreshing — it follows its hero, Uhtred Ragnarsson, aka Uhtred of Bebbanburg, during the Viking conquests of the English kindgoms. Hero is a loose word here, because Uhtred wants pussy, power and gold, and he has a massive ego, but he’s a fun character to follow and the rest of the cast is very good.

The Wheel of Time is a motherfucking commitment. It’s 16 books written over 2 1/2 decades, and the books are whoppers, thicker than the ASOIAF novels easily.

Also keep in mind that Robert Jordan, the author, died before the series was completed, and fantasy novelist Brandon Sanderson stepped in to complete it. This is a big source of anxiety among ASOIAF fans who worry about the same thing happening with George RR Martin, and Martin is slow AF compared to Jordan in terms of cranking out books.

However, putting aside all those caveats, Wheel of Time has some fucking insane world-building, with dozens of cultures, nations and factions, each with their own unique dialog, cultural practices, style of dress and behavior, etc. it’s almost endless. Layered on top of that is an absurdly detailed hierarchy of power among the various noble families of different cities, as well as the White Tower, which is like a Catholic Church for magic users, as well as various alternate dimensions, a dream world and all sorts of other crazy shit.

I can’t do it justice, so suffice to say you gotta be in for the long haul to read that series.

"Isn't it fly how your sister applied to assist me in my kitchen till the dishes are dry?"

Post by Morgana on May 18, 2019 10:57:11 GMT

For a while I was actually enjoying the TV show, "Vikings" more than GOT. I stopped watching after season 4, but I really enjoyed it. Seasons 1-3 specifically. My interest wavered after Season 4,but I'd definitely recommend the show to any GOT fan.

I agree. It is a great show for the first few seasons but it stopped being any good after Ragnar died. Have you seen Last Kingdom? That's a great show too.

Post by Marv on May 18, 2019 10:57:56 GMT

Definitely The Last Kingdom for a GoT-like show. It doesn’t aspire to GoT’s scope, which is actually refreshing — it follows its hero, Uhtred Ragnarsson, aka Uhtred of Bebbanburg, during the Viking conquests of the English kindgoms. Hero is a loose word here, because Uhtred wants pussy, power and gold, and he has a massive ego, but he’s a fun character to follow and the rest of the cast is very good.

The Wheel of Time is a motherfucking commitment. It’s 16 books written over 2 1/2 decades, and the books are whoppers, thicker than the ASOIAF novels easily.

Also keep in mind that Robert Jordan, the author, died before the series was completed, and fantasy novelist Brandon Sanderson stepped in to complete it. This is a big source of anxiety among ASOIAF fans who worry about the same thing happening with George RR Martin, and Martin is slow AF compared to Jordan in terms of cranking out books.

However, putting aside all those caveats, Wheel of Time has some fucking insane world-building, with dozens of cultures, nations and factions, each with their own unique dialog, cultural practices, style of dress and behavior, etc. it’s almost endless. Layered on top of that is an absurdly detailed hierarchy of power among the various noble families of different cities, as well as the White Tower, which is like a Catholic Church for magic users, as well as various alternate dimensions, a dream world and all sorts of other crazy shit.

I can’t do it justice, so suffice to say you gotta be in for the long haul to read that series.

Agreed about wheel of time. The world is immense...but i think you wade into it at a slow enough pace for it not to feel overwhelming. I really should pick up book 7 and continue. Perrin was my favorite character of the lot so far. He's a big, quiet, good natured brute who has a telepathic link to wolves that he fights alongside of.

Post by jonsa on May 18, 2019 13:10:34 GMT

The Spanish princess on starz, its more historic fantasy medieval and miranda from GOT ramseys girlfriend is in it

she portrays Catherine of aragon who marries henry tudor.

I still haven't finished The White Queen. I'm terrible at watching TV shows…

the white queen was the best of all of them , they really did such amazing job with casting,wardrobe, everything the other two kinda lacked i wish they would have kept some of the original cast that had survived

Post by Aj_June on May 18, 2019 14:02:37 GMT

Why not branch out and try something completely different from those two franchises?

Well, because I have already read many other genres. I have read all but 1 novel of Charles Dickens, almost everything from Thomas Hardy and all the major works of George Elliot. 3 major books from Sir Walter Scott. Some works of Elizabeth Gaskell and all the 6 major works of the great Jane Austen.

Both masterpieces by Leo Tolstoy and 2 major works from Fyodor Dostoevsky. A few short stories from Anton Chekhov. Almost everything of importance that came from 3 Bronte sisters. Vanity Fair from William Thackeray. Works of certain French writers. Works of certain Asian writers. Works of children writers like Robert Louis Stevenson, Mark Twain etc. etc.

Post by amyghost on May 18, 2019 20:55:44 GMT

Why not branch out and try something completely different from those two franchises?

Well, because I have already read many other genres. I have read all but 1 novel of Charles Dickens, almost everything from Thomas Hardy and all the major works of George Elliot. 3 major books from Sir Walter Scott. Some works of Elizabeth Gaskell and all the 6 major works of the great Jane Austen.

Both masterpieces by Leo Tolstoy and 2 major works from Fyodor Dostoevsky. A few short stories from Anton Chekhov. Almost everything of importance that came from 3 Bronte sisters. Vanity Fair from William Thackeray. Works of certain French writers. Works of certain Asian writers. Works of children writers like Robert Louis Stevenson, Mark Twain etc. etc.

Fantasy is something I haven't read a lot.

Yowza. I must eat my words, AJ. I'm not a great fantasy reader myself, but have you tried any of James Branch Cabell's Poictesme series? Much further back in time as to the period the books were written (predates even Tolkien), but they have a certain interest even today. Not too much like GoT in tone, but they are set in a sort of semi-fantasy, semi-factual medieval south of France and they really are something a little bit different.

I haven't read the entirety of these, and have skipped around through other of Cabell's fantasy works. They all have the faint scent of a bygone literary era, but if you enjoy that--and I'm betting by your above list, you have some soft spot for it--the Cabell canon is worth sampling.

Post by Marv on May 18, 2019 23:08:18 GMT

I enjoyed the Dark Tower series as well...but that’s kind of a hybrid of genres. The first one feels a lot less fantasy than the rest and parts take place in the ‘real world’, others in a futuristic dystopia, others in the land of OZ.

It’s not very stylistically similar to Game of Thrones, is why I didn’t mention it...but it is fantasy.